Our Vision
As a joyfully inclusive community that champions revolutionary social justice, we change lives by putting ministry in the hands of the people.
Centenary has a faith formation offerings for all ages.
OUR CHURCH
Combining acts of social justice with meaningful worship, Centenary United Methodist Church has been changing lives in our community for over 160 years.
Our beliefs center around Compassion, Justice, Worship and Devotion.
Compassion Through our Holy Grounds breakfast community, we serve a hot meal four days a week, averaging nearly 100 meals per day to those in need in our downtown neighborhood. During the winter months, in rotation with six other local churches, Centenary provides shelter and a warm bed for the homeless.
Justice Centenary was the first reconciling congregation in outstate Minnesota, opening its doors to all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Through quality productions of legitimate dramatic scripts, social justice topics and issues of humanity such as inclusiveness, acceptance, mental health and disability are explored.
Worship Offering fellowship and spiritual nourishment on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, our worship combines praise, prayer, music and scripture, with meditation and dialogue around questions of faith.
Devotion Centenary shares its resource with others, providing a home for the Korean United Methodist fellowship and hosting within our building the Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Services and ARC of Southwest Minnesota serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
OUR PASTOR
Pastor Elizabeth works to creatively help congregation members, the community, and Holy Grounds live into our vision of being a joyfully inclusive community that champions revolutionary social justice and changing lives by putting ministry into the hands of the people.
Rev. Elizabeth Macaulay, Interim Pastor
Parker Palmer says that “the soul is shy. It won’t show up unless it is safe.” Church as living, breathing Body is called to create a safe place for soul to show up. I believe that the church is meant to invite, nurture, empower, struggle with, equip, and bless - for life and ministry- those who seek to follow Jesus. John Wesley taught that “the gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness.” I believe that the church is meant to be a place where we see the Christ in each other and grow in love of God, neighbor, and self. Church is an outpost of grace in the midst of the challenges of life. By outpost, I do not mean the church is barricaded from the world. Rather, the church is meant to feed and sustain in such a way that community members are equipped to engage with and transform “evil, injustice, and oppression, in whatever forms they present themselves” (UMC Membership vows). And, church is fun. Where else do we get to come together and celebrate diversity while gaining strength for the living of our days? Truly, my sense of church is one of being a community center dedicated to transformation.